I Raised My Husband's Love Child...Then He Shot Me

Chapter 25

Rachel's POV

My heart raced as I hurried down the hospital hallway, the weight of what I'd just overheard spinning in my mind.

Susan wasn't pregnant. She'd been lying all this time. But why? What was she trying to achieve?

I had to tell Xavier.

I weaved through the hospital corridors, constantly checking over my shoulder, half-expecting Susan to come after me.

My hands were clammy, and I could barely catch my breath.

When I finally reached the waiting area, Xavier was talking to my grandparents. Without a second thought, I grabbed his wrist.

"We need to go. Now," I whispered urgently.

Xavier frowned. "Rachel, what's going on?"

I shook my head. "Not here. Just trust me."

Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me out of the hospital, his grip steady and protective.

Once we were in the car, I locked the doors and exhaled sharply. Xavier turned to me, concern written all over his face. "Rachel, talk to me."

I swallowed hard, still shaking. "I overheard Susan talking to a doctor."

His eyes narrowed. "And?"

"She's not pregnant."

Xavier's face shifted from confusion to disbelief. "What?"

I nodded, almost frantic. "She was demanding that the doctor give her something to make her bleed. She wants to fake a miscarriage."

Xavier cursed, running a hand through his hair. "That lying—" He cut himself off, his jaw tightening in anger.

I exhaled shakily. "But why? Why fake a pregnancy in the first place?"

"To trap Michael," Xavier muttered, his voice darkening. "To secure her place in his family. And now, running out of time, she's trying to stage a miscarriage to gain sympathy."

I shuddered. "She's manipulating everyone."

Xavier's expression hardened for a moment, then he reached for my hand. "We can use this to our advantage."

I hesitated. "How?"

A slow, dangerous smirk tugged at his lips. "If we expose her, Michael and his family will turn on her. She'll lose everything."

I bit my lip, uncertainty still clawing at me. "But we need proof."

Xavier nodded. "We'll get it. You said she was threatening the doctor, right? That means he's scared. We just need to make him talk."

I took a shaky breath. "And what if Susan finds out I know?"

"She won't," Xavier assured me, his voice low and steady. "We'll strike first."

The chill running down my spine was unmistakable, but I trusted him.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

I glanced at the screen. An unknown number.

Frowning, I answered. "Hello?"

A distorted voice crackled through the line. "If you know what's good for you, stay out of things that don't concern you."

My blood went cold.

Xavier noticed the shift in my demeanor. "Rachel? Who was it?"

I couldn't speak. My throat was tight, dry.

The voice continued. "You've been snooping around too much. Stop now, or you'll regret it."

The line went dead.

My hands trembled as I lowered the phone. "Someone knows," I whispered, the fear thick in my voice.

Xavier's face darkened instantly. "Who was that?"

I shook my head, panic creeping up. "I don't know, but they know I overheard Susan."

His jaw clenched. "That means they're watching us."

A cold shiver ran through me.

Xavier grabbed my phone, checking the number. "It's untraceable." He exhaled sharply. "Rachel, you're not in this alone. I won't let anything happen to you."

I nodded, trying to steady my breath. "What do we do now?"

Xavier's eyes gleamed with resolve. "We set a trap."

I swallowed hard. "A trap?"

He smirked, but it was anything but comforting. "Susan thinks she's in control. Let's show her she's not."

Back at Xavier's estate, I paced the room, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at me. Someone had warned me to back off. But who?

Xavier sat on the couch, focused, his eyes sharp. "We need to hit her where it hurts," he said. "If she's faking this pregnancy, there's got to be more she's hiding."

I sighed. "How do we even get the doctor to talk?"

Xavier's smirk returned. "We apply pressure."

I hesitated. "Xavier…"

"I won't hurt him," he reassured me. "But we can make him nervous enough to spill the truth."

A knock at the door startled me.

Xavier tensed immediately. "Stay here," he murmured, walking over to answer it.

It was his butler.

"Sir," the butler said quietly. "We've secured the doctor."

My heart skipped a beat. "Wait—what do you mean, 'secured'?"

Xavier turned to me, his face grim. "He's in the study. We need to hear what he knows."

I followed Xavier down the hall, my fists clenched tight.

We entered the study, and there, sitting in a chair, was Dr. Collins. He looked a wreck—sweat beading on his forehead, his hands trembling.

"Dr. Collins," Xavier greeted smoothly, closing the door behind us. "I hear you've been treating Susan."

The doctor's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. "I—I don't know what you're talking about."

I stepped forward, my voice sharp. "I heard everything, doctor. You told Susan she wasn't pregnant. You warned her it was dangerous to fake a miscarriage."

Dr. Collins paled, visibly shaking. "You misunderstood—"

"Don't lie," Xavier cut in sharply. His voice was calm, but there was a cold edge to it that made even me shiver.

The doctor wiped his brow, his voice cracking. "I—I had no choice. She threatened me."

Xavier leaned in closer, his voice dangerous. "Then tell us the truth. How long has she been lying?"

The doctor hesitated, then sighed heavily. "Since the beginning."

My heart dropped. "So she was never pregnant?"

Dr. Collins shook his head. "No. She came to me with fake test results and told me to go along with it. She said if I didn't, she'd ruin my career."

I exchanged a look with Xavier. We had the proof.

Xavier smirked, his tone colder than ever. "You did the right thing telling us, doctor."

Dr. Collins looked desperate. "Please… just don't tell anyone I was involved."

Xavier nodded slowly. "That depends on how useful you continue to be."